Craps game with jackpot

ABSTRACT

A casino craps game includes a jackpot betting area and payout from the jackpot bets based upon pre-established consecutive outcomes. In the preferred embodiment, before a point is established and before a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled, players have the opportunity to bet that the shooter will roll a pre-established number of consecutive rolls, each of which is a seven or eleven. Payoff is made upon such occurrences.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/790,984 filed Mar. 2, 2004, incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of gaming, and more specifically to the field of the game of craps with a jackpot.

The basic idea behind craps is to establish a “point” number before rolling a 2, 3, or 12 (crapping out), and roll that number again before rolling a 7 (craps). Only the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 can be a point number and all other rolls on the dice have special meanings depending on when they are rolled, i.e., before or after a point is established. A roll of 7 or 11 is often referred to as a ‘natural’ while rolling a 2, 3, or 12 before a point number is often referred to as ‘crapping out’.

The casino game of craps is played with a set of two dice with each die having six white dots numbered 1 through 6. The game is played by tossing the dice from one of the short ends of the table to the other, making sure that both die hit the opposite side wall of the table. Payoffs are made based on the number combination displayed when the dice come to rest.

Each throw of the dice is called a “roll”. Players take turns rolling the dice, clockwise around the table, and the player rolling at any given time is called the “shooter”. When a new shooter is given the dice, his or her first roll is called the “Come Out” roll. This begins a new series of rolls by that shooter and lasts for as long as that shooter continues to make winning rolls.

A new game in craps begins with the “Come Out” roll. A “Come Out” roll can be made only when the previous shooter fails to make a winning roll—more correctly known as “not making the Point” or “seven out”. A new game then begins with a new shooter. If the current shooter does make his “Point”, the dice are returned to him and he then begins the new “Come Out” roll. This is a continuation of that shooter's roll, although technically, the “Come Out” roll identifies a new game about to begin. A more detailed description of how craps is played is in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,547, incorporated herein by reference.

Prior craps game playing variations have been cited in the related 10/790,984 application, specifically U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,487,547, 5,829,748, and U.S. Patent Application Publication US2001/0028147.

There is a desire for a craps game that allows for a building of excitement from the players and attracts a large number of players and observers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a casino craps game that generates increased enthusiasm from players, the house and onlookers, without disturbing materially the usual and normal play of traditional craps.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a standard craps table wherein the improvement comprises a jackpot betting area and payout based upon pre-established number of consecutive natural outcomes before the roller establishes a point or craps out.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an overhead view of a craps gaming table in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2 is an overhead view of a craps gaming table in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Various aspects of the invention may be inverted, or changed in reference to specific part shape and detail, part location, or part composition. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

Turning to FIG. 2 there is shown a modified craps table 10 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The table 10 is in all respects the same as a conventional craps table as in FIG. 1, except for the jackpot betting area 15. Jackpot betting area 15 provides for gambles to wager on particular consecutive roll outcomes. In the preferred embodiment, the jackpot payout is made in any game when the shooter, before establishing the point and before crapping out, i.e., rolls a 2, 3, or 12, has four, five, six and seven consecutive rolls, each of which show either a seven or an eleven total on the face up side of the dice.

Before the point is established and before the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, and after four consecutive rolls, each of which is a natural, i.e., either seven or eleven, i.e., one of the following sequences:

7, 7, 7, 7; 7, 7, 11, 11; 7, 11, 11, 7; 11, 7, 7, 11 7, 7, 7, 11; 7, 11, 7, 7; 7, 11, 11, 11; 11, 7, 11, 7; 7, 7, 11, 7; 7, 11, 7, 11; 11, 7, 7, 7; 11, 7, 11, 11; 11, 11, 7,7; 11, 11, 7, 11; 11, 11, 11, 7; or 11, 11, 11, 11 an amount of $50.00 is paid from the jackpot to each person making the jackpot wager, and the jackpot amount is reduced accordingly, though may be set at a minimum of $15,000.00, for example. Before the point is established and before a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled, and after five consecutive rolls, each of which is either seven or eleven, an amount of $200.00 is paid from the jackpot to each person making the jackpot wager, and the jackpot amount is reduced accordingly. Before the point is established and before a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled, and after six consecutive rolls, each of which is either seven or eleven, an amount of $1,000.00 is paid from the jackpot to each person making the jackpot wager, and the jackpot amount is reduced accordingly. Before the point is established and before a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled, and after seven consecutive rolls, each of which is either seven or eleven, the remaining jackpot amount is paid in equal portions to each person making the jackpot wager.

Alternately, after 4, 5, 6 or 7 natural rolls are made before a point is established or a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled, a set amount may be paid out without establishing or depleting from an accumulated amount of money based on the unsuccessful jackpot bets.

It will be appreciated that the number of consecutive rolls may be varied, as may be the amount of the wager, or the particular outcome scheme for jackpot payoff without departing from the invention.

It will also be appreciated that the present invention is applicable to in-person craps games, as well as video, internet and other virtual based craps games. Further, several craps tables, whether in-person or virtual, may be linked together in that jackpot bets from several tables may be combined and payout may be made at any one table at which the pre-established rolls occur.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A casino craps game comprises the steps of: a jackpot betting area and payout based upon pre-established number of consecutive natural outcomes before a shooter establishes a point or craps out.
 2. A casino craps game as claimed in claim 1 wherein a point is from the group, 2, 3, 4, 5, and
 6. 3. A casino craps game as claimed in claim 1 wherein natural outcomes are from the group 7 and
 11. 4. A casino craps game as claimed in claim 1 wherein crapping out is rolling a 2, 3, or
 12. 